Former CD East ace Siele Johnson and his mates from Penn State Mont Alto will open tournament play at the United States Collegiate Athletic Association championships on Thursday.
(PSU Mont Alto athletics)

The fifth-seeded Owls (16-11) won the 2013 title as the tournament 8-seed. Penn State Fayette will host the USCAA Tournament in Uniontown.

Forward Jerome Evans (13.1 ppg.), guard Sharif Welton (12) and forward Devonte Merritt (10.9) pace Schenzel's Lions, who are posting nearly 80 points per game and have held a Top 5 spot in the USCAA coaches poll most of the season. The Owls, led by guard Justin Gonyea (14.4 ppg.) and center Rashad Ali (13.7), have won seven of eight.

Central Penn (18-9) will battle Michigan's Andrews University on Thursday in another quarterfinal. The Cardinals, who pocketed consecutive titles in 2010-11, haul in a 17-game winning streak.

Tournament ($24/$20) and day ($8) passes can be purchased at the PSU Fayette Community Center ticket gate or the Maltho Ticket gate. Purchased online at uscaa.ticketleap.com. Tournament information package here.